Drive gear for locomotives



Feb. Z5, '1930. K. RAsMUssEN v 1,748,244

f) DRIVE GEAR FOR LOCOMOTIVES Original Filed Dec. 15. 1926 5 Sheets-Sheet ll Feb. 25, 1930. K, RASMUSSEN 1,748,244

DRIVE GEAR FOR LOCOMOTIVES Original Filed Dec. 15. 1926 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 -l r l f 31 1119.8 g5 n v A Y g5 I IWW/nto@ 1 z3 25 fi 25 A 2 fz'lsmzliasmussen #2 g jy Feb. 25, 1930. K. RAsMUssEN Y 1,748,244

DRIVE GEAR FOR LOCOMOTIVES Original Filed Dec. l5. 1926 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 3mm/Hoz @www @www Patented Feb. 25, 1930 VuNITiin STATES PATENT OFFICE VKRIS'lIAN RASMKUSSEN, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK DRIVE GEAR FOR LOCOMOTIVES Original application led December 15,

nientum of* the locomotive has been attained than is'the case While the locomotive is being brought tosuch a speed from a state of rest.

` )ertain types of engines, for example, steam turbines and internal combustion engines, are especially` advantageous for the operation of locomotives, since they may be so constructed asto be relativelysmall' in compass and of lightweight. Engines of these types develop highn'power and are highlyveiiicient and economical in operation, but these results are obtainable only When'the engines are operating ator above a certain predetermined number ofrevolutions per minute.

Z5 Hence, Where the prime mover is directly connectedto the driving Wheels of the loco- Vmotive,'considerable difliculty may be hadv in startingthe locomotive, and the operation ofvthelocomotive may be une'conomical at ,low speeds. iMy invention is designed and adapted for use in connection-With anytype orconstruction of prime mover ufor locomotives, but, as 'indicated'` above, is particularly applicable to and advantageous in the opera- With facility and economy at high speeds and associated lmeans for eiiec'ting such operation 5U. includingstarting-speed.

1926, Serial No. 154,951. 27, 192.7. Serial No. 229,115.

tion o'a locomotive driven by an engine suchk With equal facility and economy at low speeds,-

Divided and this application filed October Another'object of my invention is the provision of improved mechanism for the pro- )ulsion of locomotives by high speed engines y associating therewith auxiliary driving mechanism by means of which the locomotive may be operated in starting and at l'oW speeds, or at speeds at which direct actuation of, the driving Wheels of the locomotive by the engineWould be comparatively difficult or expensive.

A still further object of my invention is the provision of independent drive gear systems, one designed and adapted to be used in starting and at low speeds, andthe other at rela tively high speeds.

In order to accomplish these beneficial re# sults, I provide a locomotive with two sets of driving Wheels, which may be` termed main drivers and secondary drivers7 the main driv-v ers to be used only at relatively high'speeds', and preferably directly connected to the driv-v ing engine by mechanical transmission, While the secondary drivers are so mounted that they may be lowered to exert a propelling influence upon the locomotive or raised to.oper ate as idlers. Wheels are suitably mounted upon spring suspension systems so constructed as to permitr one or the other or both of the sets of drivers to be in eifective driving position.

According to the invention thel secondary drivers are adjustably mounted above the main drivers and may be. positioned to actI frictionally upon the main drivers or to-be raised to rotate free of the same..

'lractive power for both drive systems may be furnishedV by the same driving engine either by mechanical, hydraulic, compressed air, steam or electric transmission or by combinations of these means.

In the drawings I have illustrated inde: tail these specific embodiments of my inven-` tion, and have further illustrated several advantageous adaptations of eachto locomotive f driving engines and drive gear of various types and constructions.

In the drawings, in which like numerals refer to similar parts throughout the'vievvs. Fig. 1 is a side elevational View of the driv-l ing gear of a locomotive constructed accorde mi o.)

:i the main drivers.

ing to my invention, the driving gear being shown as it appears when in position for starting the locomotive and for operation at low speed. i

Fig. 2 is a view similar to that of Fig. 1, but with the driving gear shown as it appe rs when in nor ial runningy position at relatively high speeds.

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1. v Y f l F ig. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 4 4 of Fig. 2. y

' Fig. 5his a plan view of the running gear ot the locomotive, a portion thereof being shown in section.

Y Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 6 6 of Fig. 5 and showing the` ruiming gear of the locomotive in starting position, as in Fig. 1.

Fig. 7 is a View similar to Fig. 6, hut showing the running gea-r as it appears when the locomotive is running at normal speeds, as in Fig.` 2.

Fig. 8 is an end view of the locomotive running gear as it appears when the locomotive is moving at normal speeds, with the parts positioned as shown in Fig. 2.

Figs. 9 and 10 are side elevational views snowing, in starting and normal running positions, respectively, a modiiied adaptation of the form' of drivinggear illustrated in Figs. 1 to 8, inclusive. y

Figs. 11 and 12 are side elevational views showing, in starting and normal running positions, respectively, another modified adaptation of the V,form of driving gear illustrated in Figs. 1' to 8, inclusive.

Themain drivers or driving wheels 1 and 2 of vthe locomotive A rest upon the track rails, While the secondary driving wheels 6 and 7 areV mounted directly above wheels 1 and 2, respectively, and are so mounted that they may be lowered to act frictionally upon the main drivers or raised to operate free of The drivers 1 and 2 are carried upon raxles 4 supported in journalhoxes y3 and 5. Secondary driving wheels 6 and 7 are similarly carried on axles 8 and '10 supported injournal-boxes 9 and 11.

A motor 12, preferably of the internal combustion type, and provided with cylinders 37, ismounted preferably between the secondary driving axles and this motor rotates a main engine shaft 13 carrying a flywheel. The motor 12 has a dir-ect driving connection through connecting rods 14 with the secondary driving wheels 6 and 7 and an indirect driving connection through connecting rod 38 and suitable mechanical or fluid-operated devices, to the main driving wheels 1 kand 2. 1n the referred construction ot' this form of my invention connecting rod 36 is pivotally attached to a cross-head 39 attached to a. piston 40fworling in an air or other huidtype compressor .15.' The compressor 15 is connected to a motor cylinder 16 by suitable piping, not shown, and thus drives a piston 41, crosshead 17 and connectingrods 18 to operate the main driving wheels 1 and 2.

The method of driving the` locomotive shown in Figs. A1 to 8,V inclusive, is as follows: When the locomotive is at'rest and is to be started, the secondary drivers 6 and 7 will be raised from contact with the mainV drivers 1 and 2 by a mechanism hereinafter described. The secondary drivers will then be in the position shown in Fig. 1. Operan' tionof the motor 12 wil-l cause the secondary drivers 6 and 7 compressor 15 through the connections 38 and 39. The compressed'fluid may thenbe to idle` and will operate the caused to act upon the piston 41'in cylinder."y 16 with the result that the main drivers 1y be lowered toy bear upon the main drivers 1 n and 2, as shown inl Figs. 2 'and' 4,V and the motor 12 will then act directly upon the main drivers through the frictional engagement cer of the secondary drivers therewith. `At this@ Y time the valve mechanism of the cylinders 15"' and 16 will be operated to'store vthe air compressed by cylinder 15 in asuitable reser voir (not shown). It will be obvious, that the speed of the locomotive may now be va,-

ried merely by changing the speed of theen# gine 12. When the locomotive, is being indirectly driven, asin Figs. y1 and 3, the engine is enabled to run at higher vspeed than would be possible were itconnected by direct transmission with driving' wheels 1 and 2. The air thus compressed may be controlled and the speed of the locomotive regulatedv by operation of suitable valve-mechanism, similar to the ordinary steam vengine control' mechanism` with which the cylindersjl and 16 are equipped. j In accordance with my invention disclosed yin' Figs. 1: to 8, inclusive, and as heretofore stated, it isdesirable that the weight of that portion Iof the locomotive which is above the'v lower or main driving wheels 1 and 2 may normally be `'transmitted t'o-these drivers through the main axles 4 and that this weight may also be shifted to rest uponthe main drivers at the points oi contact of the 'secQ ondary drivers 6 and 7 therewith.Y Thefmech-A anism employed for this purposewith the system ofdri've lshown in Figs. 1 to 4, in elusive., is illustrated in Figs. 5 to 8, inclusive. In these latter views the main driver axles 4 are shownjsupported in a stationary underframe 42. The secondary drivingxaxle journal-boxes 9 and 11 are supportedto be i vertically slidaloleV in slide-ways 43 in the trame 42, upward movement of tlie' journalboxes being-limited by shouldersv 35.; Shafts f malaga-r4? necesaria 2r are journaiea. in. thi-...Sides or.

the@ frame 42,.-shaft.- 19 being; at: one endY of therframeg; shaft 29 betweenf the drivers, and

shaft 211at the# opposite end. .of thev frame. Each of the shafts 19,201- andv 21 isprovided with afpairof eccentrics'22 and anI intermedia'telyi'r arranged yeccentric y44 .at each end. thereof, -the' eccentricsf22 being.,v odset 180:".

Springs-.f 24 i and 25y bearing. 'upon the main. driver axles 4 and an equalizer 80, alli joined by linltsffllf `Bands 23,' positioned upon the j @centimes-22,. are connected to a secondary or upper spring suspension indicated by the nfnfineralgft A and-` comprising two] upper springs 28 and29,f.intermediate springs 26y and 27, directly beneath upper springsj 28 and- 29, respectively, and -an equalizer 47'.' Linksf49 connect the outer-ends ofthe springs 2G-and--28` andy of springs-27 yand 29 with their y respective istria-psf 23 an'df also join Vthe inner` elidsyof the. pairs of springsto the ends. of

thelequalizers-AT .The intermediate springs 26and 27.-arebeneath the secondary driving axles-8 and 10l and-therefore directly beary l theiw'eight kof .these axles, While the springs 28ganc l l2,9.. are above` the 'axles 8 and. 10 and.

. directly| support. the. locomotive body, i. e.,

substantially 'all of rthe `weight ofthe locomotive except that portion shown i-n Figs. 1

to-.8, inclusilve.1

The shafts 19, 20 and 21 areprovidedwith gears `31 midway of their length and these are engagejdfby-racks 32 upon aflongitudinally sl-idablerodactuated by a fluid'operated piston dmoving ina cylinder 34 (Fig. 5) or 'byany other sui-table operati-ng mea-ns1. Qper'ation ofA ro'd BBserves torot-ate the shafts 19,- and 21` and changethe position of the in Fig. 6, and the secondary drivers are to' be raised from` contactwith the main drivers,

the shaftsv19, 2O and-21 are rotated by the.

racks'y 32 to vmove the eccentrics 22 yto uppermost positionwand eccentrics 44 to lowermost position-- This movement of .eccentrics 22 raises the springs of the upper suspension 47;l

and the. intermed-iatesprings 26; and 27 thus forcing the axles 8` and 10 and secondary drivers" 6 and 7 upwardly and laway ,from the main drivers, the upper Vsprings 28 and 29, being at the same time released of their load: zAt' the Sametime', the movement ofthe eccentrics 44- tolojwermostposition moves .the

lower vsprings 24and 25' downwardly to bear. f upon thefmain-adriving. axles 4. willhbe.

seen that when the parts: are: thus: positioned the lloczomotivey body and: the secondary drivers areffsupportedl: upon. the main drivers wholly through the springs24- and 25 bearing' upon-the axles `4. This is the'position Shown in Figi' 6and corresponds to tliestarting position'. of the: driving mechanism shown ini Figsfl: and;` 3'.

When' the locomotive has attained. the

necessary spe'edato make direct driving (as shown in Fig. 2) desirable, the eccentrics 22 and44' are-moved' 180.' Eccentrcs 44 of the lower suspension are then in their upper positionsA andeccentfrics 221l ofthe upper' suspension are' in theirk lower position. This movement' of eccentrics Ll4=raises the lower springs 24-and 25 from the maindriving axles 4, while the. movement of eccentrics 22 lowers the intermediate springs- 26 and 27 and relieves them of` the weight ofthe vsecondary drivers 6' and 7 which are caused: to bear upon the maindrivers- 1- andy 2. The downward move nient ofthe upper springs: 28 and 29 causesv them to .bear upon thev secondary axlesv8 and. 10. The' resultwill be that, as shown in Figs; 7 and l8,"substantially the entire. spring-suspended'weight of the locomotive will. rest .upon the secondaryv driversv 6k and -7 forcing. them into frictional Contact with the main drivers 1V and 2.. The driving mechani'sm is now inthe positionshown inFigs. 2 and. 4 and is adapted for direct drive of the main drivers. This position. is preferablyv maintained while the locomotive is running yat relatively high speeds- A When the: speedis reduced. belowL a certain minimum, the secondary drivers will again ybe raised by the rack and pinion mechanism above described and the main driversoperated by the indirect driving'connection through connecting rod 38.'

Thedriving mechanism shown inFigs. 9 and 10 is generally similar to that of Figs. 1 to l8,-.inclusive, the principal differences being in the use of two motors 12,with their' cylinders 37, and a greater number of secondary and main Ldrivers.- This yparticular adaptation of my invention includes a main drive shaft 13 at each endof the set of secondary drivers 6, the shafts 13 and drivers 6 being connected by driving rods V14 to actI synchronously. A compressor 15, alsooperated. by the motors 12, and suitably connected to 'fluid motor 16'in a manner similar to that heretofore described, is adapted to drive thev locomotive when the driving gear is in startingl position,A ask shown in Fig. 9. A number' ofV main drivers equal tothe number ofsecondary driversis provided and these are` ates inv normal. running position '(shown' [in: Fig. 10) in a manner exactly similar'tothat' ofthe .mechanism 'of-'Figa 1.-. w18.-

Sli

' Wheels and said engine.

The forni of my invention lshown in Figs. 11 and 12 is the same as that described above except that twofpairsjof secondary drivers 6 are provided, with a jackshaft 36 between the pairs. K The drive shaft 13 is connected to the jackshaft 36 by a connecting rodV 62. The remainder -of the construction of this form is similar to the two forms lalready described; its manner of operation is substantially the same as that of the Figs. l to 8sand Figs. 9 and 10 forms. Y

Having fully descri claim: l,

1. In a locomotive, an engine, main drive wheels, connections between said engine andv said main drive wheels, secondary drive wheels connected to said engine and adapted to. be moved into` andout of frictional driving contact with said main drive wheels.

2. In a locomotive, anV engine, main drive wheels, an air compressor actuated by said engine, connections between said air compressor and said main drive'wheels for operating said lmain drive wheels, secondary drive wheels directly connected to said engine, and means for moving said secondary drivewheels into and out/ofl frictional driving engagement `with said main drive wheels..

3. In a locomotive, an engine, two independent sets of drive wheels, one set of wheels being adapted to .be operated frictionally by the other set, means for bringing the two sets of wheels into andout of frictional engagement, and connections between each set of 4; In a locomotive, an engine, main drive wheels ,connected to said engine, secondary drive wheels independently connected to said engine and positioned above said main drive wheels, supporting means for said secondary drive Wheels, and means for raising and lowering said supporting means to move said secondary drive wheels into andout of frictional driving engagementy with said main drive wheels.

5. Ina locomotive, an engine, main drive wheels connected to sai`d,engine,^secondary drive wheelsindependently connected to said engine and positioned abovesaid main drive wheels, spring suspension means for said secondary drive wheels, and means for adjusting said springsuspension means to move said secondary drive wheels into and out of f frictional driving engagement with said'inain drive wheels.

6. In a locomotive, an engine, main drive wheels, secondary drive wheels positioned above said'maindrive wheels, spring suspension means for said secondary drive wheels comprising springs, hangers connected to the` ends of the springs, cams for raising and low-V ering said hangers, a shaft carrying Vsaidl cams,and rack and pinion means for rotating said shaft.`

7. Ina locomotive, an engine, main drive wheels, secondary drive vwheels positioned above said main drive wheels, spring suspension means for said secondary drive wheelsY comprising springs, hangers connected to the springs, cams for raising and lowering said hangers, a shaft carrying said cams, rack and pinion ymeans for rotating said shaft, and power means controllable by the operator for actuating said rack and pinion means.

8. Ina locomotive, an engine, main drive Y wheels, secondary drive wheels positioned ed my invention, IA

above said main drive wheels, spring suspension means for secondary drive wheels coinprisingsprings, links connecting said'springs,

eccentrics engaging said links for raising and lowering said springs and the wheelsy sus- Y .pended therefrom, shafts carrying said eccentrics, pinionson said shafts, a rack membernieshing with said pinions, and means for operationg said rack member. Y 1

9. In a locomotive, an engine, -a set of main drive wheels, asset of secondar-yfdrive wheels positioned above said main drive wheels, spring suspension means for-said secondary drive wheels. comprising springs, links connecting the springs, eccentripcs engaging the links for raising and lowering'the springs and thewheels suspended therefrom, shafts carrying the eccentrics, pinions onthe shafts,

a rack member meshing with the pinions,

means for operating the rack member, and

equalizing means connecting the spring suspension means of the sets of drivel wheels.

10. In a locomotive, an engine, mainy drive wheels, secondary drivey wheels, directly con-V nected to said engine and adapted to engage said main drive wheels to operate the latter by direct ,drive from the engine, saidlsecondaryv drive wheels being adapted to be moved out of engagementvwith lsaid main drive wheels, and driving connections between said engine' and said main drive wheels for indirectly driving the latter'whilethe secondary drive wheels are out of engagement therewith. i

11. In a locomotive, anengine, main drive;I

wheels, secondary drive wheels'directly connected to said engine and adapted to engage said' main drive wheels to operate the latter by Vdirect drive from the engine, spring suspension means for said secondary drive wheels, means for adjusting said suspension means to move'said secondary drive wheels into and kout of engagement with said main drive wheels, an air compressor actuated byV the engine, a fluid motor connected to said air compressor and `driving connections between said fluid motory and said main drive Wheels for operating thelat'ter while the secondary drive wheels are "out of engagement therewith.

main drive wheels carried by said axles and yconnected .Y tov .said engine, Secondaryf drive` Y signature.

Wheels connected to said engine and adapted to be moved into and out of rctional driving Contact with said main drive Wheels and spring suspension means arranged to shift the Weight of the locomotivek from said axles to the points at which the secondary drive Wheels engage the main drive Wheels.

In testimony whereof I hereby ax my KRISTIAN RASMUSSEN. 

